An answer to rising rent prices!

Dai Haifei's egg-shaped mobile home, via Ilse Acke

Dai Haifei's creation via Ilse Acke

Twenty-four year old Dai Haifei, a recent architecture school graduate, built this egg-shaped mobile home as a response to the rising cost of rent in Beijing. It's 6' high, is on 2 wheels, is made of bamboo splints and sacks of grass seed that grow continually to provide insulation. It even has a solar panel to power his lamp. He lived in this structure for 2 months on the street. How's that for taking care of yourself?! You can see more pictures here.

photo of Dai Haifei's creation via Ilse Acke

Dai Haifei's creation via Ilse Acke

Holiday Cheer

A friend is visiting this week, so we went up to Chases's for lunch yesterday, and did a little shopping and "driving around to look at the Lights". Remember that? We used to do that when I was a kid. We found some pretty impressive ones. Chase's has a new show of small works and some great amaryllis varieties for forcing if you are into that...which I am.

Karen MacDonald at Chase's Daily

Karen MacDonald's work is up at Chase's Daily in Belfast, Maine until November 28th. The work covers the long wall and goes up to the ceiling. It includes hundreds of cardboard constructions which layer an amazing variety of shapes and sizes to create this wonderful in-depth exploration of a medium. There are also some framed works that are gorgeous. Check it out if you can. I could not find a website or blog for Karen, so if anyone knows of one please leave me a comment.

Boxcar Graffiti

These boxcars are sitting in a train yard in a Bucksport, Maine. I wonder where they've been? I like all kinds of graffiti and street art. Sometimes it gets a bit repetitive to me, but I guess I have not seen enough to understand the breadth of this art form. Check out this Flickr group for street art in Seattle. I would love to see what can really be done. Think of the possibilities!

Karen Gelardi at Chase's Daily

Karen Gelardi's beautiful work is up at Chase's Daily in Belfast right now. I love the banners and the bitmap drawings. Her skill and imagination are so refreshing to my spirit.

To Do-ing

I went with a friend to the Anna Hepler installation and show at the Portland Museum of Art this week. This work hangs from the ceiling and falls 3 stories. It is made of plastic tape sewn together. The other piece is taped together plastic that inflates and deflates on a 16 minute interval. All the plastic was reclaimed. She is a Maine artist! So proud. And I am working on a series of drawings for the drawing project based on soap bubbles.

A Nice Weekend

This weekend was beautiful here in Maine. The air was dry and cool and it was sunny. We took a little time out and went up to Head Tide to look at this beautiful old church. We sat on the lawn and walked around a little mowed field. We imagined bringing family up here for a picnic when everyone arrives in a few weeks for a family wedding. It was a day to make you grateful. Sunday we went up to Chase's with a friend. The art is by Ben Pritchard. I just love that place.

A Day Out

Everything in this post is winter white! Yesterday we went up to Chases's for breakfast and then to 412 to check out what they are doing. Maine. Magazine included 412 in a great article (written by Maria Alexandra Vettese) about the comforts of home. Chase's was fab as usual...especially because there were almond croissant, and a wonderful show in the gallery. 412 is just such a beautifully realized space. Everything is all- of- a -piece and gorgeous. I could stay there all day and spend lots of money....but alas, there is reality.

Thanksgiving Week

We have been having a really nice week doing Thanksgiving things. We went to Portland for pies and lunch at Blue Spoon. We had a bountiful Thanksgiving dinner with family, and then had a great dinner in honor of Timmy who is visiting from Japan. And then a quiet morning appreciating sun for the first time in days! Photo Ops have been spare due to no sun and busy schedules. We are thankful for the fullness and beauty of our life here in gorgeous Maine, and all the people who add joy to our lives.

Catching Up

Here is a big "catch up" post. I've been doing some of the blue pen drawings. I've been working on top of both found pages and in a couple of sketchbooks. I went to Marlene's open studio. Her studio is spare and beautifully lit by the sun that comes in from her big windows. I went to a meditation retreat and a cool shop in Peterborough, New Hampshire...The Red Chair.